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Super springs [message #96467] Thu, 19 August 2010 21:55 Go to next message
Mitch is currently offline  Mitch   United States
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There is an article in the Sept. "Motorhome" magazine about 'airless air springs' called Sumosprings by SuperSprings International. In the article they describe replacements for vertically placed air bags. In may be possible to use these on our GMCs, if you go to a four bag configuration, but then we wouldn't have the self leveling capabilities.
I'm not advocating these for us, but the continuing development in suspension technology is interseting


Mitch Tacoma, Wa. '80 Spitfire '03 Windstar '77 Jaguar XJ6-C X(very)'76 PB 26 "The Beast" Where it rains, always. It's wet, No sun, Gray. Go to Oregon.
Re: Super springs [message #96554 is a reply to message #96467] Fri, 20 August 2010 15:39 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Rusty is currently offline  Rusty   United States
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I'd be interested in knowing about these. I rebuilt my entire rear suspension a few years ago but ended up prefering to keep the bags at a constant pressure using shutoff valves. I only inflate the bags when I use the coach.

At some point soon, maybe this fall, I will go quad-bag however. I like the idea of the suspension staying up if you lose a tire, no roadside event to deal with, just keep going to the next exit and a safer place to do the fix.


Rusty
75 Glenbrook
Philadelphia Pa
Re: [GMCnet] Super springs [message #96568 is a reply to message #96554] Fri, 20 August 2010 17:34 Go to previous messageGo to next message
emerystora is currently offline  emerystora   United States
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On Aug 20, 2010, at 2:39 PM, Rusty wrote:

>
>
> I'd be interested in knowing about these. I rebuilt my entire rear suspension a few years ago but ended up prefering to keep the bags at a constant pressure using shutoff valves. I only inflate the bags when I use the coach.
>
> At some point soon, maybe this fall, I will go quad-bag however. I like the idea of the suspension staying up if you lose a tire, no roadside event to deal with, just keep going to the next exit and a safer place to do the fix.
> --
> Rusty
> 75 Glenbrook
> Philadelphia Pa
>
I saw an old - beat-up GMC once that had a large automobile / truck coiled steel spring bolted in place of the air bags. it held it up but I'll bet it really bounced down the road! :)

Emery Stora
77 Kingsley
Santa Fe, NM


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Re: [GMCnet] Super springs [message #96570 is a reply to message #96568] Fri, 20 August 2010 17:44 Go to previous messageGo to next message
ejuk8em is currently offline  ejuk8em   United States
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Emery,
You bring up a point I have been rolling around in my mind. (Ok, don't laugh everyone - I'm a newby and am still trying to figure out how all the systems work) Has anyone ever looked into developing a horizontal coil over shock to replace the airbags? Granted, the ride wouldn't be the same and it would be a fixed ride height... However, given the email traffic I've followed on air compressors rebuilds, leaking bags, lines and valves, along with plastic cones that grenade- wouldn't a well engineered coil/shock alternative be worth developing?
Thanks!
Lyle

Lyle A. Rigdon, Retired Superintendent
"73 Pineapple Yellow Sequoia
Pawnee, IL  62558
Pawnee Pride - Live It!

--- On Fri, 8/20/10, Emery Stora <emerystora@mac.com> wrote:


From: Emery Stora <emerystora@mac.com>
Subject: Re: [GMCnet] Super springs
To: gmclist@temp.gmcnet.org
Date: Friday, August 20, 2010, 5:34 PM



On Aug 20, 2010, at 2:39 PM, Rusty wrote:

>
>
> I'd be interested in knowing about these. I rebuilt my entire rear suspension a few years ago but ended up prefering to keep the bags at a constant pressure using shutoff valves. I only inflate the bags when I use the coach.
>
> At some point soon, maybe this fall, I will go quad-bag however. I like the idea of the suspension staying up if you lose a tire, no roadside event to deal with, just keep going to the next exit and a safer place to do the fix.
> --
> Rusty
> 75 Glenbrook
> Philadelphia Pa
>
I saw an old - beat-up GMC once that had a large automobile / truck coiled steel spring bolted in place of the air bags.  it held it up but I'll bet it really bounced down the road!  :)

Emery Stora
77 Kingsley
Santa Fe, NM


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Re: [GMCnet] Super springs [message #96575 is a reply to message #96570] Fri, 20 August 2010 18:03 Go to previous messageGo to next message
roy1 is currently offline  roy1   United States
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Lyle
I think most would agree despite any drawbacks the airbags might cause(be it quad or stock) the ability to level out in a campsite trumps all hands down.
Roy


Roy Keen Minden,NV 76 X Glenbrook
Re: [GMCnet] Super springs [message #96580 is a reply to message #96575] Fri, 20 August 2010 19:16 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Keith V is currently offline  Keith V   United States
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Yea, I'd put steel springs in about the time I sold it.

In fact I'm trying to figure out how to get air suspension up front!


Keith Vasilakes
Mounds View. MN
75 ex Royale GMC
ask me about MicroLevel
Cell, 763-732-3419
My427v8@hotmail.com
Re: [GMCnet] Super springs [message #96586 is a reply to message #96580] Fri, 20 August 2010 19:53 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Bob de Kruyff   United States
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I've always felt that a couple of truck urethane "jounce" bumpers could work at least as an emergency measure. Many of those are quite large and also serve as secondary springs once the main spring reaches a certain level. Our medium duty trucks count on those "jounce" bumpers to provide the secondary rate once loaded. A couple of those with a rod through the center would be a lot more satisfactory than a steel rod or wooden block that many carry around. Those jounce bumpers still allow a workable spring rate to get you home rather than just to the nearest repair shop. We started using extended versions of those on the X cars in the 80's to provide a variable spring rate, and gradually they have become standard operating procedure. The other nice thing is that they provide a lot of internal damping.

Bob de Kruyff
78 Eleganza
Chandler, AZ
Re: [GMCnet] Super springs [message #96588 is a reply to message #96575] Fri, 20 August 2010 19:53 Go to previous messageGo to next message
ejuk8em is currently offline  ejuk8em   United States
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Oh duh...(sound of hand hitting forehead) I hadn't thought of that. With our coach sitting forlornly in the driveway and with the notion of camping a very, very long way (and many $$$) off.. I wasn't thinking about campground set up. A clear cut case of PBTT (posting before thinking through).  ;-)
The po ripped out nearly all of the air lines, tank, compressor, leveling valve apparatus... so I'm really starting from scratch here. We got home from Virginia by filling the bags through schraeder (sp?) valves the po installed directly into the bags. The drivers side seems to hold well.. the passenger side - not so much. We seem to get about 24 hours out of it. Anyone have an air bag source??
Thanks!
Lyle


Lyle A. Rigdon, Retired Superintendent
'73 Pineapple Yellow Sequoia
Pawnee, IL  62558
Pawnee Pride - Live It!

--- On Fri, 8/20/10, roy keen <roynpaula@charter.net> wrote:


From: roy keen <roynpaula@charter.net>
Subject: Re: [GMCnet] Super springs
To: gmclist@temp.gmcnet.org
Date: Friday, August 20, 2010, 6:03 PM




Lyle
I think most would agree despite any drawbacks the airbags might cause(be it quad or stock) the ability to level out in a campsite trumps all hands down.
Roy
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Re: [GMCnet] Super springs [message #96597 is a reply to message #96570] Fri, 20 August 2010 20:31 Go to previous messageGo to next message
mike miller   United States
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ejuk8em wrote on Fri, 20 August 2010 15:44

... given the email traffic I've followed on air compressors rebuilds, leaking bags, lines and valves, along with plastic cones that grenade...


Lyle,

Do not let all the talk about problems with the GMC get to you.

We talk more about our problems, but not very much about when things go right.

These coaches where very well designed. It shows with the fact that so many are still in use. Think a while before doing "upgrades." For the most part the designers knew what they where doing with the available technology... limited by the bean counters of course! Rolling Eyes

Bottom line: Take all the "gloom and doom" talk with a grain of salt.


Mike Miller -- Hillsboro, OR -- on the Black list
(#2)`78 23' Birchaven Rear Bath -- (#3)`77 23' Birchaven Side Bath
More Sidekicks than GMC's and a late model Malibu called 'Boo' http://m000035.blogspot.com
Re: [GMCnet] Super springs [message #96607 is a reply to message #96597] Fri, 20 August 2010 21:58 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Mitch is currently offline  Mitch   United States
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Mike Miller said;

>These coaches where very well designed. It shows with the fact >that so many are still in use. Think a while before doing >"upgrades." For the most part the designers knew what they where >doing with the available technology... limited by the bean >counters of course!

And I have to agree. But that was the technology of the mid seventies. I believe we can do sensible upgrades, even while counting (or eating) beans.
I'm not saying these SumoSprings will work for us, but the fact is that there is more development going on, and the potentials for that development applying to us is there. Just as there are people inside the GMC community working to specifically develop improvements, there are others outside that can be of use.
By the way, here is a link.
http://www.supersprings.com/index.asp
Just as a side thought, could these be used up front?


Mitch Tacoma, Wa. '80 Spitfire '03 Windstar '77 Jaguar XJ6-C X(very)'76 PB 26 "The Beast" Where it rains, always. It's wet, No sun, Gray. Go to Oregon.
Re: [GMCnet] Super springs [message #96672 is a reply to message #96597] Sat, 21 August 2010 11:54 Go to previous messageGo to next message
ejuk8em is currently offline  ejuk8em   United States
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Mike,
Great comment... not just for me, but all the folks out there wrenching our our respective projects. I've truly appreciated this forum since the day I logged in. Having been in the RV business years ago, I can tell you that this type of exchange of information is vital to those of us who want to keep these very special older "orphan" coaches on the road. Personally, I've been wanting a GMC since the first time I saw one many years ago. Now that I'm retired, I'm having a ball tinkering, reading, researching, and getting to know everyone. At this point I'm planning to head to DuQuoin to get to know some of the faces associated with the posts and to researdh ideas for the restoration work on our newly adopted Sequoia.
Take care,
Lyle

Lyle A. Rigdon, Retired Superintendent
'73 Pineapple Yellow Sequoia
Pawnee, IL  62558
Pawnee Pride - Live It!

--- On Fri, 8/20/10, Mike Miller <m000035@gmail.com> wrote:


From: Mike Miller <m000035@gmail.com>
Subject: Re: [GMCnet] Super springs
To: gmclist@temp.gmcnet.org
Date: Friday, August 20, 2010, 8:31 PM




ejuk8em wrote on Fri, 20 August 2010 15:44
> ... given the email traffic I've followed on air compressors rebuilds, leaking bags, lines and valves, along with plastic cones that grenade...


Lyle,

Do not let all the talk about problems with the GMC get to you. 

We talk more about our problems, but not very much about when things go right.

These coaches where very well designed.  It shows with the fact that so many are still in use.  Think a while before doing "upgrades."  For the most part the designers knew what they where doing with the available technology... limited by the bean counters of course!    :roll:

Bottom line:  Take all the "gloom and doom" talk with a grain of salt.
--
Mike Miller
`73 26' X Painted D.
`78 23' Birchaven
Hillsboro, OR
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Re: [GMCnet] Super springs [message #96693 is a reply to message #96672] Sat, 21 August 2010 14:32 Go to previous messageGo to next message
comcast is currently offline  comcast   United States
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Lyle,
Bring your camera cause you won't remember 3/4 of what goes on around
you. Not commenting on your capacity, it's the load you'll be
experiencing. <G>

I have a severe case of CRS so it works for me. Now, maybe even a
tape recorder could be of use.

Roger Black
77 Birchaven
Burns, Tn




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Re: [GMCnet] Super springs [message #96889 is a reply to message #96693] Sun, 22 August 2010 22:48 Go to previous message
ejuk8em is currently offline  ejuk8em   United States
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Great Idea!!!! Will do!
I have a theory about CRS. At some point our brains just get full. The only way information can come in is for something to go out. So, the next time you can't find the car keys or remember where you put your shoes last night, or can't come up with your spouses birthday... celebrate!!!! You must have just learned something new the day before!!!

Lyle A. Rigdon, Retired Superintendent
'73 Pineapple Yellow Sequoia
Pawnee, IL  62558
Pawnee Pride - Live It!

--- On Sat, 8/21/10, Roger Black <r1black@comcast.net> wrote:


From: Roger Black <r1black@comcast.net>
Subject: Re: [GMCnet] Super springs
To: gmclist@temp.gmcnet.org
Date: Saturday, August 21, 2010, 2:32 PM


Lyle,
Bring your camera cause you won't remember 3/4 of what goes on around 
you.  Not commenting on your capacity, it's the load you'll be 
experiencing. <G>

I have a severe case of CRS so it works for me.  Now, maybe even a 
tape recorder could be of use.

Roger Black
77 Birchaven
Burns, Tn




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